Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of adailyrhythm.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following: Grab your current read. Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
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I have been absent for a while, but…I’m back!
Summer is my favorite time of year and I find it hard to keep myself at home. There is so much so see and do. Photo ops abound and my desire to have an adventure increases, making me want to get in the car and drive.
Enjoy these photos from my latest little jaunt.
Juan Sebastian Elcono at night in Pensacola Florida by Sherry Fundin
Today, I would like to share Memory House by Bette Lee Crosby
She is an amazing author, filling her novels with Southern Charm.
They are not all happy and smiles, but they do leave me feeling as if I have gained a little something from reading her work. I hope you will give her a shot and find her as awesome as I do.
Even though this includes bits from her other novels, they stand alone, but I would highly recommend reading them all!
Ophelia never makes me feel like I’ve said something wrong. When I told her about how much I was missing Michael, instead of saying that’s flat out dumb pining after a man who walked out on you, she explained how a man can fill the hole in your life or be the whole of your life. That makes a lot of sense. I used to think Michael was the whole of my life, but now I’m beginning to wonder.
A magical tale that trips lightly through the hallowed ground of Spare Change and several other reader favorites…from a USA Bestseller and Multi-Award-Winning Author. Is it possible for a memory to outlive its owner? Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond such an age. Before time runs out Ophelia must find her successor…someone who can carry forth the gift and keep the memories from fading. When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. As the two women sip dandelion tea and share stories, Annie begins to uncover new memories. Ugly ones. Ones buried deep enough to hide the scars. Excitement turns to fear when a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia knows they have gone too far.
You can check out other her other novels and my reviews by clicking on the links below:
Time and time again, Bette Lee Crosby captures me with her writing.
In her latest novel, Memory House, the southern charm oozes from the pages, the characters read as if they are my friends and family and the storyline captivates me.
The beautiful cover makes we want to walk up to the door, expecting Ophelia to be there, opening it before I have the opportunity to knock.
Check out the links at the end of the post for more novels by Bette Lee Crosby and my reviews of her books. Happy reading!
Bette Lee Crosby is a master storyteller and her latest novel, Memory House follows the path of all the rest of her novels I have read – excellence. Her captivating characters had me eating out of their hands.
Bette’s writing takes us back and forth, between the past and present of Ophelia’s life, since she entered Memory House in Richmond, Virginia. She is such a wonderful person, alone, yet so giving of herself to others. She runs a small apothecary shop that may supply someone with items for beauty, a common cure, or a love potion that a weary traveler may need. Ophelia has many memories, not all of them her own. It is time for the passing of the sword. Could Annie be the one she has been looking for?
Annie will find herself on Ophelia’s doorstep, after a failed relationship.
Michael, her boyfriend is a super jerk, taking advantage of her desire for a relationship and her easy nature. He trots through life as if he is her gift from God and his desires are her desires. Boy is he in for a surprise as she realizes she doesn’t have to have him in her life. Will she leave him? Will such an arrogant personality allow it? He was so sure he could leave and come back whenever he wanted and she would be there waiting for him.
I felt a sense of danger in the writing and the thought that maybe Michael, her ex, would come after her, but Bette Lee Crosby’s dangers are more subtle.
Funny how smells can bring forth powerful memories and here at the Memory House Bed & Breakfast, they were good memories, healing memories, for Annie. Will the magic of Memory House enter her life and soothe her soul, giving her a purpose?
Ophelia and Annie quickly develop a comfortable relationship, as if it is meant to be.
Bette Lee Crosby has a way of giving you comfort when bad things happen. Sometimes I need to be reminded of the simple pleasures in life and her writing does that for me.
As per Bette Lee Crosby’s books I have read in the past, the story ends with tears of happiness swelling in my eyes. Another wonderful heart warming story of love, life, pain and sorrow, and the path her characters must walk through in life.
I received Memory House in return for an honest review.
5 Stars
SYNOPSIS
Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety.
Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading.
When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far.
ABOUT BETTE LEE CROSBY
Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby shares the storytelling charm of her Southern Mama in tales that are both heartrending and heartwarming. She is best known for her creation of characters that readers find unforgettable.
Passing through Perfect is Crosby’s tenth novel and the third book in the Wyattsville Series that began with the USA Today Bestseller Spare Change. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win another twenty literary awards, including the Royal Palm Literary Award, the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal and the 2014 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal.
Ashley Fontainne is an amazing award winning and bestselling author that you will want to check out. Her novels are so good, they are being optioned for film.
Ashley Fontainne has teamed up with her mother, Lillian Hansen, in her new release, Blood Ties.
I am so excited to share all the goodies below, so please, grab a beverage, put your feet up and enjoy.
Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen’s Blood Ties has a level of creepiness and reality that will linger long after you have finished reading the novel. The mother and daughter writing team continues into the characters of the story with Karina and her mother, LiAnn.
Karina, a private investigator for We’ve Got Ya, and LiAnn, a cop, had become sickened after their last case, that dealt with the abuse of senior citizens in assisted living facilities and quit their jobs. Now, it was off to Grandma and Grandpa’s farm in Arkansas.
Karina does not have female friends, except for her mother, who is her best friend. I love Karina’s badassery and the snarky dialogue between and her mother. My mother is my best friend and I spend more time around men than women. Who has time for cat fights, jealousy and shopping? Not me. I am not afraid to tell my mother anything, like Karina, sometimes in very “colorful” words. I do love Karina’s foul mouth and her “take out my gun and shoot you” attitude. I love fast cars and beer, too, Karina. She has a black Charger, with dark tinted windows and racing tires. She named it Dragula, after a Rob Zombie song based on the Munsters. Makes me think of driving the country roads when I first moved south with my Monte Carlo SS and doberman. Karina has a big dog, a 100lb black lab. I sure see the similarities and feel right at home with Karina and her family.
Of course, we need a love interest and her encounter with one of the twin Greek Gods had me grinning at the descriptive writing, which drew me further and further into Blood Ties.
Karina’s biggest Achilles heel is the mistreatment of senior citizens. She will not stand by and watch them be neglected or abused…by anyone.
The Magnolia is an assisted living facility that houses some of her grandparents friends. As Karina and LiAnn become aware of some funky goings on, they begin to investigate on their own.
Caesar is a mobster, a ruthless criminal and ex assassin that has taken many lives. When his wife dies, I find it impossible to feel empathy for him. What about the families he ruined? He has his sights set on The Magnolia, but…money isn’t the only thing he will be taking from the seniors.
Nick runs The Magnolia and sold his soul to the devil – Caesar – in return for money. He stuck his head in Caesar’s noose and would never get it out. Terror stalks him, day and night.
The Magnolia is understaffed with poorly trained workers, residents are neglected and abused – lawsuits and government investigations abound. How relevant is that today? Will you be in an assisted living facility? Blood Ties is a very thought-provoking novel that will haunt me into my golden years.
What can I say? I LOVE Blood Ties. Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen’s ability to grab me from the beginning and keep me turning page after page, unable to put the book down, is proof of their awesome writing. The emotion I felt while reading ranged from happy and playful to rage and the need for justice. But is there any justice for crimes so despicable that I cannot find the words to describe them?
Blood Ties by Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen is the first in a three-part murder mystery/suspense series and I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next!
I received the ARC of Blood Ties in return for an honest review.
5 Stars
BLURB
LiAnn Tuck and her daughter, Karina Summers, are settling into their new life, enjoying the small farming community of Sheridan, Arkansas. The slower pace, compared to the craziness of Los Angeles, is a welcome distraction for them both. Taking care of her aging parents and their small farm is just what LiAnn needs to forget her twenty-five-year career as a detective. And Karina’s new love interest brings back the smile she lost from years of undercover work and her cheating ex-boyfriend.
The Bonds
Their idyllic lifestyle changes the minute a family friend, Cecil Pickard, pays a visit. He lives at The Magnolia, an independent living facility in Hot Springs, and believes someone is stealing from him. LiAnn and Karina offer to investigate and suddenly find themselves inside a living nightmare.
Are Permanent
Theft isn’t the only criminal activity taking place inside the historic, stately walls of The Magnolia. Organized crime has infiltrated Hot Springs, and what they’re after is not only money, but life itself. As LiAnn and Karina dig deeper, they might just be digging their own graves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne is an avid reader of mostly the classics. Ashley became a fan of the written word in her youth, starting with the Nancy Drew mystery series. Stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters that lurk within us are her favorite reads.
Her muse for penning the Eviscerating the Snake series was The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Ashley’s love for this book is what sparked her desire to write her debut novel, Accountable to None, the first book in the trilogy. With a modern setting to the tale, Ashley delves into just what lengths a person is willing to go when they seek personal justice for heinous acts perpetrated upon them. The second novel in the series, Zero Balance focuses on the cost and reciprocal cycle that obtaining revenge has on the seeker. For once the cycle starts, where does it end? How far will the tendrils of revenge expand? Adjusting Journal Entries answered that question: far and wide.
Her short thriller entitled Number Seventy-Five, touches upon the sometimes dangerous world of online dating. Number Seventy-Five took home the BRONZE medal in fiction/suspense at the 2013 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards contest and is currently in production for a feature film.
Her paranormal thriller entitled The Lie, won the GOLD medal in the 2013 Illumination Book Awards for fiction/suspense and is also in production for a feature film.
The suspenseful mystery Empty Shell, released September 29, 2014. Ashley then delves into the paranormal with a Southern Gothic horror/suspense novel, Growl, scheduled for release in the Spring of 2015. Plus, she will be teaming up with Lillian Hansen (Ashley calls her Mom!) to pen a three-part murder mystery/suspense series entitled The Magnolia Series. The first book, Blood Ties, is due out the Summer of 2015.
Ashley also hosts The WriteStuff, a popular BlogTalk Radio show, each Friday night at 10 p.m. CST.
The winged knights—magically altered humans—are the only ones defending the portal from Av’lor to Earth. With defeat imminent, they find an unlikely source of hope in software engineer, Kathryn.
Kathryn doubts her life could get any worse after the death of her mother and daughter. She realizes her mistake after she arrives on Av’lor with only part of her house and hungry creatures looking for their next meal. Once the knights bring her under their protection, she discovers their angry commander is far from welcoming.
Sir Lanclor, Commander of the Knighthood, lives with the curse of betrayal. While the treachery occurred lifetimes before, few see past his guarded shell to the grim man beneath. Barely holding the Knighthood together, his grip tightens when Kathryn joins their ranks. Her stubbornness and surprising strength not only energizes the knights, but also makes Sir Lanclor question his self-imposed isolation.
With the approach of an invading army, Kathryn and Sir Lanclor must find a way to end centuries of war and save two worlds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
“That reminds me. The Ball of Remembrance is coming up in a few weeks. We should go together.”
“A ball? You mean with dancing and stuff?” Kathryn remembered some of the best times in her life on a dance floor.
“Yes. Don’t sound so surprised. In the middle of a war, this is one of the few times we can relieve stress. You have to go. There’ll be dancing, singing, drinking and a ton of food. Everyone tends to relax their guard a little, maybe get a little…friendly, if you know what I mean?” Elena’s smile was infectious.
“Wait. They’re not going to be having sex on the dance floor, are they?”
“Kate, men of Av’lor aren’t like that. They’ll at least take us someplace private.” Elena’s laugh made Kathryn smile and eventually join in.
“I think it would be a little awkward. I don’t know what any of the other knights look like beneath their armor. What if I hooked up with someone I work with every day? That would make things a little strained during drill the next day.” An officer would be even more awkward. Sir Garrent or Sir Lanclor. Even worse, what if it was Jakara? Knife training would have a whole new meaning.
“Oh, rank is suspended for the one day and it’s pretty anonymous. Everyone’s wings will be the same color. License to party.” Elena laughed and started thrusting her hips towards the bathtub with a sponge in one hand and a bottle of cleaner in the other.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Sam Rook lives in Vermont with her husband and two children. Her passion for fantasy novels began in high school with her desire to write following shortly thereafter. Software engineer by day, fantasy author by night, she strives to give her readers a chance to enjoy worlds that transport them away from the stress of everyday life.
Witch of Death by Chrys Fey is an awesome short of suspense, thrills, magic, witches and romance, wrapped up in a wonderful package.
Liberty Sawyer is called in by the police, when a magical murder occurs – a floating corpse and a spell cast by an evil, dark magic sorcerer bring her and Reid together.
She is a psychic, a witch to be exact. She takes no guff about whether you believe in her or not. She is a witch that hunts witches to be burned alive and has a gaze that can freeze a man in his tracks. Reid learns that first hand.
Detective Reid Sanders is a skeptic. Does he fight believing in her so much because he is in lust after Libby?
Chry’s Fey’s writing is sooooo good, that I will be reading anything she puts out!
Witch of Death is a short, but powerful read. Libby had me eating out of her hand from the first pages. The characters are well developed and got me so involved, I hated for the story to end. I want more, please.
I received this book in return for an honest review.
5 Stars
GUEST POST
Welcome Chrys. I am so happy to have you here today!
Thank you for the great review and for letting me borrow your blog to talk about Witch of Death, Sherry! 🙂
Music is my constant muse when I’m writing. I have a list of songs I go to when I need to write romantic scenes and action scenes. There are also my go-to artists such as 30 Seconds to Mars, Sia, Evanescence, Imagine Dragons, and more.
Witch of Death originally had chapter titles that were deleted during the galley phases, and those chapter titles were actually names of songs that inspired those chapters. For fun, I’ll share the soundtrack for Witch of Death, so if you read the story, you can maybe look up the songs, too.
Witch of Death Soundtrack:
Murder by Within Temptation
The Bleeding by Five Finger Death Punch
Crystal Ball by P!nk
Faceless by Red
Pieces by It’s Alive
Enemy by Papa Roach
Eyes by Kaskade, Mindy Gledhill
Thank you all for visiting and hopefully commenting. 😉
Thanks, Chrys. I love learning what inspires an author. I look forward to having you visit again in the near future. 🙂
BLURB
Detective Reid Sanders doesn’t believe in the
supernatural, but when he’s faced with a crime scene that defies the laws of
nature, he has no other choice but to start believing. And solving a magical
murder involves working with a witch.
Liberty Sawyer embodies the look of your classic evil
witch, so it’s no surprise when she uncovers the murderer is a witch and she
becomes Reid’s number one suspect. If she can’t convince him otherwise, more
people could lose their lives to dark magic, including her.
Chrys Fey is the author of Hurricane Crimes and 30 Seconds. She is currently working on the sequel to Hurricane Crimes that’ll serve as book two in the Disaster Crimes series.
When Fey was six years old, she realized her dream of being a writer by watching her mother pursue publication. At the age of twelve, she started writing her first novel, which flourished into a series she later
rewrote at seventeen. Fey lives in Florida where she is waiting for the next hurricane to come her way.
You can connect with her on Facebook and her blog, Write
with Fey. She loves to get to know her readers!
20 ALL NEW Contemporary Romance stories by New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Bestselling authors.
LIMITED TIME ONLY!
Love when it’s hot? So do we. Especially when we’re writing about gritty alphas, angsty bad boys, sizzling attraction, and unrequited passion. So loosen your buttons, turn the fan to oscillate and join us for this steamy, groundbreaking bundle of summer tales that are hot hot hot.
Sizzle Spies – Gennita Low
Lola and Jake, fall hard for each other. Is their love strong enough for one assignment that would risk everything?
The song that inspired me while writing GIRL OF MINE:
(Watch until the end. There’s a surprise!)
A interesting tidbit about GIRL OF MINE:
My dad always worried about the cost of the electricity bill. If he walked past my bedroom and noticed that my light had been left on, he would turn it off and holler,
“That’s okay, Taylor, I got your light.”
It became a bit of a joke in our household. My siblings and I loved to try and catch my dad leaving on a light, just so we could say,
“That’s okay, Dad, I got your light.”
Now that I’m an adult with my own family, the term takes on new meaning.
The message behind it has worked its way into my new novel, Girl of Mine.
My father brought me into this world, he cared for me, and he taught me well. He gave me my “light,” my life.
He nourished my “light” and helped me become the person I am today.
Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense–you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.
$100 Blast Giveaway
Enter to win an Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/15/2015
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by readinglight.com. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Donna Galanti’s latest novel, Joshua and the Lightning Road, is an action adventure novel that kept me entertained from beginning to end. This may be for the younger crowd, but there is no reason you and I can’t enjoy it too and I did, very much.
MY REVIEW
This is a story of friendship, love, sacrifice, hope and courage. A wonderful, magical, mystery adventure for kids of all ages.
This book could start out: It was a dark and stormy night…
Joshua is the worrier and Finn is the adventurer. Finn is his Joshua’s best friend.
Their game of hide and seek ended badly. The lightning struck and when Joshua could see again Finn was gone and he was left with a warning…
He would be next.
So…it’s down the Lightning Road to find the answers. Let’s go together, shall we?
The descriptive writing showed me the road and I traveled it with Joshua.
There was the Child Collector who steals kids to sell.
The Reekers, because of their smell, he things they are stinky.
Giant ravens, like the Wizard of Oz monkeys and giant rats.
Myths, Greek Gods, and super powers.
Flying deer, sound familiar?
Takers – Earth people who came looking for the missing children. Not all are good.
Prophecy – one born who is part Earth human, part Nostos and part Olympian – the Oracle – all powerful. He could bring back all twelve gods. They would have to do good and close the Lightning Road forever.
I thought of so many movies I have watched that could have contributed to the writing of this story: Indiana Jones, where Kalimar abducts children to make them slaves; Harry Potter with his magic; the Neverending story.
Once I put my mind together with my inner child and let my imagination follow Joshua, the roller coaster ride shot out of the gate…
The characters are giving and go above and beyond anyone’s expectations. Some put their lives on the line for friends, family and all the missing children, while the others are so despicable, it makes me want to climb into the book and put them on the hamster wheel to produce the power, then finish them off after a suitable amount of torture.
Donna writes with humor interlaced throughout, giving this adventure that light touch that keeps it to a comfortable level for the youngsters.
“Mizzle – misty drizzle. “…we’re being mizzled right now.” “Better than being whizzled on.”
“If I ever got home again I would cherish every minute being bored. Bored was better than dead. “
I received this book in return for an honest review.
5 Stars
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Joshua and the Lightning Road
Publication date: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Donna Galanti
SYNOSIS
Stay away from the window, don’t go outside when it’s storming and whatever you do, do not touch the orb.
Twelve-year-old Joshua Cooper’s grandpa has always warned him about the dangers of lightning. But Joshua never put much stock in his grandpa’s rumblings as anything more than the ravings of an old man with a vast imagination. Then one night, when Joshua and his best friend are home alone during a frightful storm, Joshua learns his grandpa was right. A bolt of lightning strikes his house and whisks away his best friend—possibly forever.
To get him back, Joshua must travel the Lightning Road to a dark place that steals children for energy. But getting back home and saving his friend won’t be easy, as Joshua must face the terrifying Child Collector and fend off ferocious and unnatural beasts intent on destroying him.
In this world, Joshua possesses powers he never knew he had, and soon, Joshua’s mission becomes more than a search for his friend. He means to send all the stolen children home—and doing so becomes the battle of his life.
Donna is the author of the Joshua and The Lightning Road series and the Element Trilogy. She is a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs at www.project-middle-grade-mayhem.blogs…, a cooperative of published middle grade authors. Visit her at www.donnagalanti.com and www.ElementTrilogy.com. Donna wanted to be a writer ever since she wrote a murder mystery screenplay at seven and acted it out with the neighborhood kids. She attended an English school housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!). There she fell in love with the worlds of C.S. Lewis and Roald Dahl, and wrote her first fantasy about Dodo birds, wizards, and a flying ship (and has been writing fantasy ever since). She’s lived in other exotic locations, including her family-owned campground in New Hampshire and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer. She now lives with her family and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse and dreams of returning one day to a castle.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Suspense, Romantic Elements
Release Date: December 18, 2014
Repossessed is the Winner of the 2013 Daphne du Maurier Mainstream Mystery/Suspense Award and the 2013 Maggie Award for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements written by Sandy Parks.
A reclusive boss.
An unemployed pilot.
One devil in default.
When Brazilian gem dealer Maximilian Furst stops making payments on his fifty million dollar business jet, “Hawker” Dunlop, reclusive owner of a high-end recovery company, sends a resourceful team to Rio to repossess the aircraft.
Dunlop’s newest hire, ex-military pilot Amelia “Jet” Walczynski, has the perfect skills for infiltrating Furst’s inner circle and flying away the targeted plane. The assignment appears straightforward until Jet discovers Furst is a sociopath and knows she is after his aircraft. Her promised support team, a Greek lawyer avenging his brother’s death, a con man who sidelines as their scout, and a mechanic who paints her nails to match the country of operation, appear a hindrance rather than help. Jet finds it hard to play nice with her teammates when their private agendas put her life at risk. Yet, the closer she gets to Furst and the plane, the more she and her team will have to rely on each other to complete the repossession.
Santos Dumont Airport
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Gnawing apprehension spread through Jet as Maximilian Furst climbed up from the dark night onto his business plane and cast her a triumphant look. Behind him the door closed and the steward flipped the locking handle, securing the aircraft and effectively cutting off rescue if her true purpose were to be discovered.
The cushy leather seat beneath her offered little comfort. Minutes before coming onboard, she’d learned Furst had left a disloyal employee floating face down in a local lake. She drew a calming breath through a fake smile. Had she overestimated her ability to manipulate a powerful man—one who was proving far more dangerous and unpredictable than her boss portrayed?
Looking back, getting onto the Gulfstream 550 had been easy—maybe a bit too easy. Whatever the case, she had to keep a step ahead of Furst if she hoped to find the aircraft’s landing site.
He leaned over her leather chair, using his rock-solid body as unspoken intimidation. Without a word, he picked up the ends to her seat belt and buckled her in. Her heartbeat didn’t slow until the plane had taken off from the domestic airport and risen out of the haze into a clear night.
Jet controlled her fear by focusing on the sleek cabin. She related more to machines, particularly those with wings, than men.
“You have an impressive aircraft,” she said, with the proper amount of awe to feed Furst’s overblown ego. She could recite checklists and emergency boldface items for the fifty-million-dollar beauty that surrounded her, but she had to be careful not to reveal her flying expertise. “Will I be as impressed with your home?” Or wherever the plane might land and “magically” disappear.
Maximilian shifted in his seat to face her and tented his long, dark fingers. “After the excess of my party, you will like the peaceful place we are going.”
“Peaceful? I see you more as the type who never rests.” She pointed at a well-developed bicep on his arm, making sure not to touch or even hint at coming close enough to doing so. “Those don’t come from lounging around.”
“Senhorita, you flatter me. What is a strong body without a fit mind? My sanctuary awaits. It cleanses the body and soul of troubles.”
“I find it hard to believe you have many troubles.”
“A man without them has never been tested. Take this plane, for instance. The company and I have a financial disagreement to resolve. My legal sources have informed me impatient Americans have arrived to take it back. They are supposedly in Rio at this very moment.”
Perceptive sources. She held back the gulp striving to launch down her throat.
Maximilian, his spicy cologne still potent after the long night, leaned forward and encouraged her to do the same. She worked out of her seat belt and rather reluctantly moved closer.
With her head near, he softly added, “You, Senhorita de verão, are an American. I believe you have come to steal my plane.”
Sandy loves building worlds with memorable characters caught up in ever changing circumstances. She writes in several genres including action adventure thrillers with touches of mystery and romance, science fiction, romantic suspense, and historical romance, some under the name Sandy Moffett. She has won several national writing awards including the Daphne du Maurier Mainstream Award for Mystery & Suspense, Maggie Award for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements, and The Lories for Best New Author Paranormal. Before the days of writing, Sandy was trained as a hydrogeologic scientist, taught at a university, and worked for a civil engineering firm and on an Air Force flight test computer project. Her adventurous background comes from being a private pilot, traveling the world, hiking, scuba diving, and taking over fifteen years of Kenpo karate.
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
These Mermen Don’t Have Tails, They’re Deadly as Hell, and They’ve Got Something He Wants…
INFAMOUS BACHELOR and SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE ROEN DORAN IS A BASTARD. Yes, he knows it. And no, he doesn’t care. He’s got money and power, and he depends on no one. But when his estranged father dies, willing him a secret island, Roen will come face to face with an even bigger secret: its occupants. And these savage, sea-obsessed warriors are quick to make their position clear: Leave now or die.
There’s only one problem. Nobody tells Roen what to do. Ever. Oh, and one other thing. He’s just met the island’s other new “guest” and something about her brings out his possessive side.
SOLE SHIPWRECK SURVIVOR LIV STRATTON had been adrift at sea for ten grueling days when salvation miraculously appeared: an uncharted island. Only, the deceivingly beautiful men who live there aren’t interested in saving her. No, not at all. Because they somehow believe she is their property, a gift from the ocean to do with as they please. This is not good.
Her only hope? Billionaire Roen Doran, of all people. A man who’s said to care for nothing and no one. But if he’s so heartless, then why is he about to risk everything to help her?
~ ~ ~
NOTE FROM MIMI ABOUT MERMEN: Anyone who has read the Accidental Series or King knows I love to flip things on their heads. Mermen is no exception. THIS IS NOT A FLUFFY STORY ABOUT men with fins and tails who sweep ladies off their feet and make them long to be mermaids. Uh-uh. This is NOT that kind of story. Nobody in their right mind would want to hang out with these very beautiful yet dangerous men (who don’t actually have tails, fins, or gills, by the way) NOR would anyone want to be their mates. Well, at least, not me! Run. Away!!
Hope you enjoy the ride. – MIMI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPT
Bump. Bump.
“What the fuck was that?” Twenty-nine-year-old Liv Stratton sat up in her sagging life raft, trying to stay conscious.
Bump.
There it is again. Liv’s eyes skimmed the perimeter but saw nothing. Well, except the warm March sun glaring off an endless stretch of eerily calm North Pacific. Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to—
From the corner of her eye, she caught a splash about a hundred yards out. It appeared to be…
Wait. She leaned forward. Is that…is that? No. You did not just see a naked man swimming. The dehydration was playing tricks on her, making her believe she’d just seen a tanned, muscular form floating on his back, everything on display.
You’re hallucinating again. Liv sighed and flopped back onto the raft, shoving her sticky dark hair over her eyes to block the sun from her face. I’m so thirsty. I’m so thirsty. Oh God…
It had been ten days since the fishing boat capsized in a storm, taking with it the crew of eight to the bottom of the ocean. Now she wished she’d gone with them instead of having been ordered into the life raft. “What about your crew? What about you?” she’d screamed over the roar of wind and relentless waves pounding the side of the vessel. Captain Harris, a man in his late seventies with a weather-beaten face, flashed his crooked teeth. “We are men of the sea, my dear. Here we live, and here we will die.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Remy Pamfiloff
New York Times and USA Today bestselling Romance author, host of the radio talk show, Man Candy, on Radioslot.com.
When San Francisco native Mimi Jean went on an adventure as an exchange student to Mexico City, she never imagined the journey would lead to writing Romance. But one MBA, one sexy husband, and two rowdy kids later, Mimi would trade in corporate life for vampires, deities, and snarky humor.
She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.
She also enjoys interacting with her fans (especially if they’re batshit crazy). You can always find her chatting away on Facebook, Twitter, or saying many naughty words on her show MAN CANDY on Radioslot.com !
Find out more about Mimi and upcoming books at www.mimijean.net.
5 Stars
